1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fertility drug or an ovulation-inducing drug and a method of producing the same, and more particularly to a fertility drug having an effective component comprising a composition or compositions involved in Coix lacryma-jobi var. mayuem Stapf L. (hereinlater described simply as "Job's tears") which is extracted from Job's tears or synthetically produced in organic reactions.
2. Prior Art Description
Typically known to the world as fertility drugs are those comprising clomiphene and cyclohexil. These conventional fertility drugs have been used for more than 20 years and their pharmacological effects are recognized in clinical trials. However, it has been found in practice that they will often cause extraordinary sex periods, resulting in such troubles as multiple pregnancy and failure of pregnancy. They often produce side effects. Under the circumstances, nevertheless, no other fertility drugs have yet become available for practical purposes.
Examination and study on novel fertility drugs have been attempted. For example, it has been found that leaves of corn, rye and wheat contain a material which will induce ovulation of domestic rabbits (Niigata Medical Society Bulletin; vol. 78, page 305; in 1964; Japan). Up to the present, however, its ovulation-inducing effect on human-kind has not yet been proved and therefore such a material is still not applicable to practical use.
Meanwhile, it has become apparent that some pharmacological effects will inhere in extractants from Job's tears and coix seed, a fruit of Job's tears prepared by removing hulls and peels from Job's tears seed. "Seiyakugaku" by Inagaki et al; published by Nankodo in 1975 in Japan; page 162; writes as follows:
(1) The extractants of Job's tears and coix seed have diuretic effects and therefore may be used for the remedy of tumor, beriberi, nephrolith and cystolith and harumph. PA0 (2) They may be used as painkillers and crampkillers. PA0 (3) They are good for warts and roughness.
Moreover, it has now been confirmed that proteins extracted from unthreshed powder of Job's tears seed will spur secretion of human milk (Masahiko Shigemitsu; Bulletin of Kumamoto Local Department of Japan Women Science Society; vol. 3, page 191; 1944). An anticancer material can be isolated from coix seed (Chemical and Pharmaceutical Bulletin, Japan; vol. 9, page 43,; 1961). However, the ovulation-inducing effect of Job's tears and/or the extractants thereof has not yet been known in the prior art.